Perforating gun



Jan.3,1939. LHMETZNER 2,142,572

PERFORATING` GUN Filed April 13, 1935l Attorney atented Jan. 3, 1939PEERFORATHNG GUN iloyde H. Metzner, Los Angeles, Calif., assigner toLane-Wells Company, Los Angeles, Calif., a corporation of DelawareApplication April 13, 1935, Serial No. 16,267

i6 Claims.

This invention has to do in a general way with the art of perforatingwell casing and is more particularly related to improvements inperforators oi the so-called gun type.

The so-called gun type of casing perforator. consists in a general wayof a body member adapted to be lowered into the casing and havingtherein a transversely disposed cartridge or a plurality of suchcartridges which are adapted to be fired through the casing wall bymeans of an electric current conducted through suitable conductors tothe cartridge from the surface of the ground. It is a primary object ofthis in- Vention to produce a perforator of the general class describedwhich is provided with improved means for iiring the cartridge orcartridges.

It is a further attending object of this invention to produce aperforator of the class described in which the cartridges or thecartridge is fired by mechanical means carried by the perforator bodyand actuated by movements of the body which are controlled at thesurface of the ground. Further in this connection, my inventioncontemplates a perforatcr which may be equipped with any desired numberof cartridges and in which the cartridges may be individually red at anydesired point along the line of the casing.

It is a further object of this invention to produce a device of' theclass described which is of simple form and construction and which maybe easily and quickly loaded and set with a minimum amount of danger tothe operator.

The details in the construction of a preferred form of my invention,together with other objects attending its production, will be bestunderstood from the following description of the accompanying drawing,which is chosen for illustrative purposes only, and in which Fig. 1 is asectionalelevation with parts broken away showing a section of casingwith a preferred embodiment of my invention suspended therein;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional elevation with parts broken away whichis taken in a plane at right angles to the plane of Fig. 1 andillustrates further details in the construction of a preferredvembodiment of my invention;

Fig. 3 is a plan section taken along the line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary plan section showing a portion of Fig.3 and illustrating important details of the firing mechanismcontemplated by this invention; l

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional elevation taken in a plane representedby the line 5-5 of Fig. 4; and

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary outsideelevation illustrating a modification ofthe construction .coni templated by this invention.

More particularly describing the invention as herein illustrated,reference numeral il indicates a well casing within which a perforatingmember l2 is suspended by means of a cable or any other suitable means,indicated at I3.

The perforator l2 is shown as comprising an elongated substantiallysolid body or mandrel I5 having a rounded nose member i6 mounted' on itslower end and provided with a connection l1 at its upper end whereby itis attached through the medium of a swivel joint i8 with a suspendingbail member Eg.

The body member i5 is provided with a plurality of longitudinally spacedinner chambers 22 which are adapted to receive and contain carf tridgemembers 23 which are lled with explosive` material indicated at 24. Atthe outer end of each. cartridge chamber 22 I provide an enlargedthreaded recess 2S which receives a threaded plug member 2l. The innerends of the plug member 21 and that portion of the inner wall of therecess which surrounds the cartridge cham` ber are preferably formed onthe frustum of a cone so as to provide mearisfor securely locking adiaphragm 2S composed of lead or other suitable material over the,outletor discharge end of the cartridge chamber. The plug 2 is provided with apassage 3D formed in axial alignment with the cartridge chamber, suchpassage containing a. projectile 3i and being closed against the ingressof pressure iluid by means of a button 33, composed of Bakelite or othersuitable frangible material, which is pressed into a recess 34 formedabout the outer end of the passage 30. The plug 2l is provided with aslot 35 to facilitate its installation and the periphery of the plug issurrounded by a. washer 38 composed of rubber or other flexible materialand channeled so as to be spread into engagement with the plug and thesurrounding wall surface by the pressure of the fluid in the well.`

For the purpose of iiring the cartridge I provide the same with apercussion cap 50 behind which a ring pin 4I is slldably mounted in asuitably formed passage in the body. The rear end ci the ring pin Mextends into what I may term a hammer chamber 62 formed in the body 50in substantial alignment with the cartridge chamber 22. The outer end ofthis hammer chamber 42 is shown as being enlarged and threaded asindicated at t3 for the reception of a screw plug d4. Formed on theinside of the screw plug M is a recess 45 which receives the rear end ofa guide pin 46 upon the forward end of which a plunger or hammer member41 is mounted. 'I'his hammer member is adapted to. be driven intoengagement with the ring pin vby means of a compression spring 48 and isnormally held in retracted position by means of a trigger mechanism, apreferred form of which will now be described.

'Ihe trigger member contemplated by this invention comprises what I mayterm a cross member 50 which is shown as being rotatably mounted in acylindrical bore I which extends from an undercut region 52 in the sidewall of the body into the body at substantially right angles to thehammer chamber 42. In the form shown the bore 5l is illustrated as beingpositioned with its axis above the axis of the hammer chamber 42 so thatthe cross member 50 will normally be interposed between the hammermember 41 and the outer end of the firing pin 4I. The cross member 50 isshown as being provided with an undercut portion or recess 53, theradius of which is equal to or greater than the radius of the hammerchamber so that, when the cross member 50 is rotated or moved into aposition at which the recess or undercut portion 53 falls into alignmentwith the hammer chamber, the hammer is released to be driven intoengagement with the firing pin. This operation is indicated in brokenlines in Fig. 5. The cross member 50 is shown as being mounted in thebody member and retained therein by means of a rubber packing cone 56,such cone being provided with grooves 51 which are acted on by thepressure of the uid in the well to pack the cross member securely inplace. l

For the purpose of moving or rotating the cross member 5l) to releasethe hammer, and permit its driving the firing pin forward to re thecartridge, I provide the end of the cross member 50, in this form of myinvention, with a lever 60, such lever being contained in the undercutportion 52 and being normally positioned so as to extend substantiallyatright angles to the longitudinal body, as clearly shown at 601i inFig. 2.

For the purpose of swinging or turning this lever to its cartridgefiring position, I provide the body member with a sleeve 63 which isslidably mounted thereon and has an inwardly extending projection ortongue 64 which rides in a groove 65, such groove communicating with thesuccessive cut-away regions 52 and being in alignment with therespective levers 60. With this arrangement it will be seen that as thebody member travels downwardly through the sleeve 63, the trigger orlever members 60 will be successively swung to discharge the respectivecartridges as each lever is engaged by the tongue or projection 64.

In order to accomplish this, it is first necessary that the sleeve beheld stationary with respect to th body when it is desired to rethecartridges, and furthermore, in order to prevent all of the cartridgesbeing red through one spot, and also to permit the ring of cartridges atany desired spot in the casing, it is necessary that means be providedfor optionally locking the sleeve upon the body during at least onedirection of movement or the body.

For the purpose of restraining the sleeve 63 against movement withrespect to the body, I show the upper end portion of the sleeve lasbeing provided with a unit composed of a plurality of friction springmembers of any conventional type,

such spring unit being indicated generally by refl erencenumber 61, andbeing shown as having sliding frictional engagement with the interior ofthe casing. Since the friction between the spring members and theinterior of the casing is much greater than the friotional resistance ofthe body to its movement through the sleeve, it will be seen that undernormal circumstances this spring unit will hold the sleeve againstmovement with respect to the body. p

For the purpose vof optionally locking the sleeve upon the body,` sothat downward movement of the body carries the sleeve with it, I showthe sleeve as being provided with an inwardly extending projection or aplurality of such projections indicated at 10. These projections areassociated with a plurality of longitudinal grooved sections 1|. Thelongitudinal sections 1I and the pin 10 are positioned so that the pinis traveling through a longitudinal section during such time as theprojection or lip 64 is travelingthrough that portionof the groove 65which contains the trigger member 60. In other words, each time the bodyis aligned so that the pin falls in the bottom portion of a groovedsection 1I, and is then permitted to travel downwardly, the iinger 64engages the trigger 60 and iires the cartridge at that particular point.

For the purpose of locking the sleeve against movementl with respect tothe body, I provide the i bottom portion of each longitudinal groovedsection 1I with an offset grooved section 12. This offset groovedsection is shown as having a cam shoulder 13, the top point 14 of whichis shown as being positioned to the left of the center line of the topof the offset section 12. With this arrangement it will be observed thatwhen the pin 10 occupies the dotted line position at the ltop of theoffset 12, as shown in Fig. 2, and the body member is lowered with theparts in such position, the sleeve will be moved with the body member toany desired point. As soon as the body member is raised again, however,the pin engages the cam surface 13 and is carried back into alignmentwith the next succeeding longitudinally extending slot 1l, after whichanother downward movement of the body permits the pin 10 to travelupwardly through the slotted section 1| and the nger member 64 to engagethe trigger and re that particular cartridge. As the body member iscontinued to be lowered after such a ring operation, the' pin 10 isreceived in curved oiiset slot located at the upper end of thelongitudinal extension of the groove section, such curved groove 15rotating the body and permitting the pin to be received in the upper endportion of the next oiset 12. In order to permit the body being rotatedin this manner, with respect to the finger 64 and its associated groove'65, it is necessary to provide the groove 65 with cut-away portionswhichare indicated at'19.

The operation of the device contemplate by this invention may be brieiiydescribed as follows: Assuming the parts lto be in the position shown inFig. 2, in which the pin or pins 10 are contained in the lowermost olsetgroove 12, the

device is lowered downwardly into the well, the sleeve being carriedwith the body and being located at the lowermostend thereof. When thedevice has been lowered to the point at which perforating operations areto be started, the i'lrst operation is to raise the body a slightdistance by means of the suspending cable I3 and then lower the sameagain. This lowering movement, as has been pointed out, is effective tore the rst cartridge, but it will re no more since the continuedlowering movement of the body brings the next offset slot 'l2 intoengagement with the pin 18, and continued lowering movements merelycarries the sleeve to a lower position in the casing. The position ofthe next perforation may be changed in this manner or it may be obtainedby then pulling the body upwardly to bring the bottom of the nextlongitudinal grooved section il into engagement with the pin 1Q, andcontinued upward movement will raise the sleeve to any desired point inthe casing, after which another lowering of the body is effective tofire' the next cartridge. It will thus be seen that the position of theperforations in the casing may be located either above or below theposition of the perforation which has been fired next previous to thatwhich is to be fired.

As an added precaution to insure the movement of-the pin l from theoiset groove I2 and to the longitudinal groove.section Il, I show inFig. 6 a modied form ofthe invention in which the offset sectionindicated at 'i2' is shown as being provided with spring 'lingers diiand 8l adapted to guide the pin during its successive movements. Thearrows in Fig. 6 indicate the travel of the pin during the successiveopposite movements of the bodi7 with respect to the sleeve, or, sincethe pin actually remains stationary, these arrows more specificallyindicate the movement of the groovesv with respect to the pin.

It is to be understood that while I have herein described andillustrated one preferred form of the invention, the invention is notlimited to the precise construction described above but includes withinits scope whatever changes fairly come within the spirit of the appendedclaims.

I claim as my invention:

i. An apparatus for perforating well casing embodying: a body adapted tobe suspended in the casing and having a transverse chamber therein; acartridge in said chamber adapted to be iired through said casing; asleeve member on said body; means associated with said sleeve andoperative during relative movement between said sleeve and said body forfiring said cartridge; means on said sleeve engaging the interior ofsaid casing for restraining said sleeve against movement relative tosaid casing; and releasable means for locking said sleeve on said body.

2. An apparatus for perforating Well casing embodying: a body adapted tobe suspended in the casing and having a transverse chamber therein; a`cartridge in said chamberadapted to be fired through said casing; asleeve member on said body; means associated with said sleeve andoperative during relative movement between said sleeve and said body forring said cartridge; means on said sleeve engaging the interior of saidcasing for restraining said sleevei against movement relative to saidcasing; and releasable means interposed between said sleeve and saidbody for controlling the longitudinal movements of said body relative tosaid sleeve.

3. An apparatus for perforating well casing embodying: a body adapted tobe suspended in the casing and having a transverse chamber therein; acartridge in said chamber adapted to be red through said casing; asleeve member on said body; means associated with said sleeve andoperative during relative movement between said sleeve and said body forring said\car tridge; means on said sleeve engaging the interior of saidcasing for restraining said sleeve against movement relative to saidcasing; and

a projection in said sleeve adapted for reception in a longitudinalgroove in said body, thereby permitting downward movement of said bodythrough said sleeve, said groove having an oiset portion at its lowerend adapted to engage said projection and limit the downward movement ofsaid body relative to said sleeve.

4. An apparatus for perforating well casing embodying: a body adaptedtobe suspended in the casing and having a transverse chamber therein; acartridge in said chamber adapted to be fired through said casing; asleeve member on said body; means associated with said sleeve andoperative during relative movement between said sleeve and said body forfiring said cartridge; means on said sleeve engaging the interior ofsaid casing for restraining saidv sleeve against movement relative tosaid casing; and a projection in said sleeve adapted for reception in alongitudinal groove in said body, thereby permitting.

downward movement of said body through said sleeve, said groove havingan oiset portion at its lower end adapted to engage said projection andlimit the downward movement of said body -relative to said sleeve, andsaid offset portion having a cam surface adapted to engage saidprojection and direct the same into said longitudinal groove during anupward movement of said body.

5. In an apparatus for perforating casing, the combination of:y a bodyadapted to be suspended in said casing and having a transverse chambertherein; a cartridge in said chamber adapted to be red through the wallof said casing; mechanical means for tiring said cartridge; a sleevemember slidably mounted on said body; means on said sleeve operativeduring longitudinal movement of said body relative thereto for actuatingsaid ring means; movement restraining means mounted on said sleeve andengaging said casing; and means interposed between said body and saidsleeve for controlling the longitudinal movement of said body relativeto said sleeve.

6. In an apparatus for perforating casing, the combination of: a bodyadapted to be suspended in said casing and having a transverse chambertherein; a cartridge in said chamber adapted to be fired through thewall of said casing; mechanical means for firing said cartridge; asleeve member slidably mounted on said body; means on said sleeveoperative during longitudinal movement of said body relative thereto foractuating said firing means; movement restraining means mounted on saidsleeve and engaging said casing.; and means interposed between said bodyandsaid sleeve for controlling the longitudinal movement of said bodyrelative to said sleeve,

said last mentioned means comprising a projection in said sleeve adaptedfor reception in a longitudinal groove in said body, said groove havingan oiset portion at its lowerend adapted to engage said projection andlimit the downward movement of said body relative to said sleeve.

7. In an apparatus for perforating casing, the

combination of: a body adapted to be suspendedin said casing and havinga transverse chamber therein; a cartridge in said chamber adapted to beiired through the wall of said casing; means 4for firing said cartridge;a sleeve member slidably mounted on said body; means on said lsleevevoperative during longitudinal movement of said body relative thereto foractuatingvsaid ring means; movement restraining means mounted on saidsleeve and engaging said casing; means interposed between said body andsaid sleeve for controlling the longitudinal movement of said bodyrelative to said sleeve, said last mentioned means comprising aprojection in said sleeve adapted for reception in a longitudinal groovein said body, said groove having an offset portion at its lower endadapted to engage said projection and prevent downward movement of saidbody relative to said sleeve; and means for rotating said body to swingsaid projection from said oiiset into alignment with said longitudinalgroove. l

8. In a perforator 0f the class described the combination of alongitudinal body having a transverse cartridge chamber; a cartridge insaid ,Y

' body, said groove having an offset portion at its lower end adapted toengage said projection and prevent upward movement of said body relativeto said sleeve; and cam means in said offset portion adapted to swingsaid projection into alignment with said longitudinal groove during anupward movement o f said body through said sleeve.

9. In a casing perforator of the class described the combination of: alongitudinal body adapted to be lowered into said casing and having a'transverse cartridge chamber therein; a cartridge in said cartridgechamber; a firing pin slidably mounted in said body behind saidcartridge chamber; a hammer chamber formed in said body behind saidfiring pin in axial alignment therewith; hammer means slidably mountedin said hammer chamber; a cross pin rotatably mounted in said bodyacross said hammer chamber between said firing pin and said hammer toreleasably hold the latter in a retracted position, said cross pinhaving a cut-out portion adapted for alignment with said hammer chamberto release said hammer; means for imparting seg'- mental rotation tosaid cross member to align said cut-out portion 'with said hammerchamber and release said hammer; and sealing means interposed betweenthe outer end portion of said cross member and said body.

10. In'a casing perforator of the class described the combination of;` alongitudinal body adapted to be lowered into saidcasing and having atransverse cartridge chamber therein; a cartridge in said cartridgechamber; a firing pin slidably mounted in said body behind saidcartridgechamber; a ,hammer chamber formed in said body behind said'firing pin;hammer means member slidably mounted on said body adapted tofrictionally engage. the interior of the casing.

11. In a casing perforator of the class described the combination of: a.longitudinal body adapted to be lowered into said casing and having atransverse cartridge chamber therein; a cartridge in said cartridgechamber; t a firing pin slidably mounted in said body behind saidcartridge chamber; a hammer chamber formed in said body behind saidfiring pin and in substantially axial alignment therewith; hammer meansmounted in said hammer chamber; sealing means in the outer end of saidhammer chamber, a cross member rotatably mounted in said body betweensaid ring pin and said hammer to releasably hold the latter in aretracted position; said cross member having a cut away positionadaptedl for alignment with -said hammer chamber; means for shiftingsaid cross member to align said cutaway position with said hammerchamber and thereby release said hammer; and sealing means interposedbetween the outer end portion of said cross pin and said body.

12. In a casing perforator of the class described the combination of: alongitudinal body adapted to be lowered into said casing and having atransverse cartridge chamber therein; a cartridge in said cartridgechamber; a firing pin slidably mounted in said body behind said car-'tridge chamber; a hammer chamber formed in said body behind said firingpin; hammer means mounted in said hammer chamber; sealing means in saidhammer chamber behind said hammer, a cross member rotatably mounted insaid body between said firing pin and said hammer to releasably hold thelatter in a retracted position; said cross member having a cut-awayposition adapted for alignment with said hammer chamber; means forrotating said cross member to align said cut-away position with saidhammer chamber and thereby release said hammer; said last mentionedmeans including a lever on said cross member, and a sleeve member onsaid body adapted to engage and swing said lever during relativelongitudinal movement of said body through said sleeve; and sealingmeans interposed between the outer end portion of said cross member andsaid body.

13. In a casing perforator of the class described, the combination of anelongated body adapted to be lowered into said casing; a sleeve memberslidably mounted on said body; restrainingr means on said sleeve adaptedto engage the interiorof said. casing; a plurality of longitudi.

nally spaced and transversely disposed cartridges y mounted in saidbody; cartridge ring means in said body associated with each cartridge;a trigger member for independently releasing each of said firing means;and means on said sleeve for actuating the successive trigger members.

14. In a casing perforator of the class .described, `the combination of;an elongated body adapted to be lowered into said casing; a sleevemember slidably mounted on said body; restraining means on said sleeveadapted to engage the interior of said casing; a plurality oflongitudinally spaced and transversely disposed cartridges mounted insaid body; cartridge ring means in said body associated with eachcartridge; a trigger member for independently releasing each of saidring means; means on said sleeve for actuating the successive triggermembers; and means for controlling the longitudinal movement of saidbody relative to vsaid sleeve. e

15. In a casing perforator of the class described, the combination of:an elongated body tridges mounted insaid body; cartridge firing means insaid body associated with each cartridge; a trigger member forindependently releasing each of said firing means; means on said sleevefor actuating the successive trigger members; and means interposedbetween said sleeve and said body, and operative by oppositelongitudinal movements of said body for controlling the movement ofsuccessive trigger bearing sections of said body relative to saidsleeve.

16. In a casing perforator of theclass described, the combination of: alongitudinal body adapted to be lowered into said casing and having atransverse cartridge chamber therein; a cartridge in said cartridgechamber; a ilring pin slidably mounted in said body behind saidcartridge chamber; a hammer chamber formed in said body behind saidringpin in axial alignment therewith; a plunger hammer in said hammerchamber; sealing means in the outer end of said hammer chamber; springmeans engaging said hammer for driving same into engagement with saidring pin; and means for releasably holding said hammer in a retractedposition comprising a cross member rotatably mounted in said body atsubstantially right angles with said hammer chamber and extendingtherethrough between the retracted position of said hammer and said ringpin, said cross member having a cut out portion adapted for alignmentwith said hammer chamber to release said hammer, and means for 'rotatingsaid cross member to release said hammel'.

IDYDE H. METZNER

